On Monday, retailers finally started rounding cash transactions to the nearest nickel in cases where neither party can produce enough pennies -- this to account for the fact that the mint also began, on Monday, its new procedure of melting and recycling all pennies received by banks. That so many Canadians have used the occasion of the penny's long roll home as an opportunity to raise money for worthy causes is heartening. But that it took the government this long to drop a coin that had clearly outlived its usefulness at least thirty years ago is discouraging.

Dear Penny; I know you're busy, but I couldn't let you go without saying something. You were always by my side, even when I didn't want you to be. Weighing down my pockets. Making my palms smell like pissed-on copper. When I held you, my mitts got all clammy and ugly.

"Free your pennies from their prisons and donate them to charity!" That was the cry of Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty as he announced the penny's demise in last year's federal budget. We've since talked to many different groups who are madly gathering pennies for many different causes.